Flushing-valve-operating mechanism for water-closets.



PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

I. E. FITZGERALD. FLUSHING VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WATER GLOSETS.

APPLIDATION FILED MAR. 21, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. FITZGERALD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUSHING-VALVE-OPERATIING MECHANISM FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern.-

ering of the seat of the closet.

The invention has for its object the provision of a flushing-valve-operating mechanism which will be positive in'its action, simple and inexpensive in its construction, and

free from all danger of being injured or broken from ordinary use.

This invention consists in the provision of a valveoperating mechanism for flushingtanks of water-closets in which the operating mechanism will be wholly disconnected from the valve when not in use and which will be placed in an operative position by the movement of the seat of the closet by the user of the closet and which will operate the valve and be returned to its original and disconnected position when the seat of the closet is allowed to rise.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a bowl, illustrating a flushing-tank in section and as equipped with my improved operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a bracket used in connection with the flushingtank. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the rodcoupling and latch housing employed in connection with my improved operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch employed in connection with the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lever used in connection with the bowl and employed 'for actuating the operating mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the rodcoupling and latch-housing illustrated in Fig. 3, showing the latch therein.

To put my invention into practice I have illustrated my improved operating mechanism as used in connection with a bowl 1 and a flushing-tank 2. The flushing-tank 2 is connected to the bowl 1 by a pipe 3, the upper end of which is secured in the bottom of the flushing-tank 2, as indicated at 4, and forms a valve-seat for a flushing-valve 5, mounted Within the tank. These parts are of the ordinary and well-known type of closet at present used, and my invention resides in the novel form of operating mechanism I employ for operating the flushing-valve 5.

The flushing-valve-operating mechanism consists of a bracket 6, having outwardly-extending arms 7 7 which are pierced, as indicated at 8 8, whereby the bracket may be secured in a cut-away portion formed in the rear wall 10 of the flushing-tank by'screws 11. The arm 12 of the bracket 6 extends within the tank 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings, and this arm of the bracket is provided with upwardly-extending pierced lugs let 14, between which is pivotally mounted by a pin 15 a valve-lever 16. This valve-lever is provided in its outer and longer arm 17 with a plurality of apertures 18 for the reception of a ring or hook 19, carried by a rod 20, which is connected to the flushing-valve 5. The apertures 18 permit of the rod being adjusted, whereby the flushing-valve 5 can be opened to any desired degree. The short arm 21 of the lever 16 is beveled, as indicated at 22, the object of which will be presently described. The opposite arm of the bracket 6 extends rearwardly without the tank 2 and is provided with an opening 23, in which rests a box-like structure 2 1,

forming a coupling. The box-like structure is illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 6 of the drawings, and by referring to said figures it will be observed that the box portion of the structure is provided with a vertically-disposed screwthreaded recess 25, adapted to receive the screw-threaded end 26 of a dependingrod or pipe 27. The box structure is provided with flanges 28 28, whereby it may be supported upon the bracket 6, and carried by the box structure or formed-integral therewith is a housing 29, having a central bore 30, adapted to receive a spring-actuated latch 31. The

housing 29 is provided with the verticallydisposed threaded openings 32 32, which in conjunction with a set-screw 33 are employed for retaining the spring-latch 31 within the bore 30 of the housing. The spring-latch consists of the shank portion 33, carrying a beveled head 34. The shank portion of the Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

*ing through the slots 36 36 into the box-like structure 24. The opposite end of the spring bears against the rear face of the beveled head 34 and normally holds the latch in an extended position, such as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings.

The reference-numeral 38 designates the seat of the bowl, which is hinged, as indicated at 39, to the hopper-bowl, and upon the hinged members of the bowl I mount a lever 40, which is illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The one end of this lever is provided with upwardly-extending pierced lugs 41 41, whereby it may be pivoted to the hinged members 39 of the seat The opposite end of the lever 40 is bent upwardly, as indicated at 42,'and extended upon a plane parallel to its other end. The lever is provided with an enlarged portion 43, having a central opening 44 formed therein, through which the pipe 3, that connects the flushing-tank with the bowl, is adapted to extend.

The extreme end of thelever 40 is provided with pierced lugs 45 45, between which is pivoted a link 46, which in turn is connected by'a link 47 to the lower end of the rod 27 by a pin 48.

The adjustable connection between the upper end of the rod 27 and the box structure 24 permits of an adjustment that may be necessary to compensate for the different distances that may occur between the flushing-tank and the bowl 1.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that the seat 38 is normally held in aslightly-raised position, which is incurred by the end 49 of the lever 40 engaging the under face of a bracket 50, which hinges the seat 38 to the hinged members 39.

A device constructed in accordance with my invention operates as follows: hen the closet is not in use, the front of the seat will be slightly raised, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the rod or pipe 27 will be at its lowest position and the latch 31 will lie in close proximity to the bracket 6, the beveled head 34 of said latch being retained in engagement with the beveled face 22 of the lever 16 by the spring 37. When the seat is depressed, the rod 27 will be raised through the medium of the pivotal connection of the lever 40 and the links 46 and 47, this movement being occasioned by the bracket 50 bearing against the end 49 of the lever 40. As the rod 27 is raised the box structure 24 and the latch 31 are carried upwardly, and the engagement of the beveled head 34 with the lever 16 will cause the latch to recede within the bore 32 of the box structure until the beveled head 34 has passed the beveled end of the lever 16, at which time the spring 37 will force the head 34 outwardly over the beveled end of the lever 16. When the seat 38 is vacated, the weight of the rod 27 and its appurtenant parts will cause the rod to descend and the seat to be raised. The rod in its descent will carry with it the box structure 24 and the latch 31, and the beveled head 34 of the latch, pressing against the top of the short end of the lever 13, will raise the long arm of the lever and with it the flushing-valve 5, thus permitting the contents of the tank 2 to pass into the bowl 1. When the rod 27 has reached the limit of its downward movement, the latch 31 will have passed over the end of the lever 16, which then assumes its horizontal position and permits the valve 5 to be seated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be observed that when the closet is not in use the valve-operating device is wholly disconnected from the lever and that it is only placed in an operative position by the depression of the seat and that the flush is not operated until the closet is vacated and the front of the seat permitted to be raised by the weight of the rod and its appurtenants parts. It will also be observed that the device is composed of but very few movable parts and that these parts are so constructed and arranged that they will not become broken or in any manner damaged from use and that it will be practically impossible for the flushing apparatus to act when the closet is used.

While 1 have herein shown and described the preferred manner of constructing my improved operating mechanism, it is obvious that the same is applicable to various types of closets, and in this connection I do not care to confine myself to the specific construction shown, as various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

WVhatl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a flushing device, the combination with a bowl and a tank supported above said bowl, a pipe connecting said tank and said bowl, of a bracket carried by said tank, a lever pivoted in said bracket, a flushing-valve connected to said lever, a vertically-reciproeating adjustable rod mounted in said bracket, a spring-actuated latch carried by the upper end of said rod and adapted to engage said lever, a lever pivotally mounted upon said bowl and connected to said rod, said lever adapted to engage said seat, and normally retain the same in an elevated position, substantially as described.

2. In a flushing device, the combination with a bowl, a tank communicating with said bowl, a flushing-valve mounted in said tank, of a bracket carried by said tank, a lever pivotally mounted upon said bracket and connected to said flushing-valve, an adjustable rod mounted in said bracket, a spring-actuated latchcarried by the upper end of said rod and adapted to engage said lever, a seat hinged to said bowl, a lever pivotally mounted upon said bowl, the one end of said lever adapted to engage said seat, the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to said rod, substantially as described.

3. In a flushing device for closets, the combination with a closet-seat, a flushing-tank, a flushing-valve, of areciprocating rod operated by the movement of the closet-seat, a latch carried by said rod and consisting of a horizontally-reciprocating shank, a beveled head carried by said shank, a lever mounted within said tank, and connected to said flushingvalve, said reciprocating shank being adapted to ride over the end of said lever during the upward movement of said rod, and adapted to rest upon and depress the same during the downward movement of said rod, substantially as described.

4. In a flushing device, the combination witha tank and bowl in communication, a hinged seat, and a shut-off valve in the tank,

of a bracket supported on the tank with one end extending into the tank, a lever pivoted on said end of the bracket, and a rod connecting said lever to the shut-off valve, the outer end of said bracket having an opening, a vertically-movable coupling member mounted in said opening and having a housing, a springpressed latch mounted in said housing to engage said lever, a lever pivoted on the bowl in position to have its one end engaged by the seat, and a connection between the other end of said lever and said coupling member, substantially as described.

5. In a flushing device, the combination with the hinged seat, the pivoted lever adapted to be engaged by said seat, and a tank having a shut-ott valve, of a vertically-movable coupling member, a rod connecting said coupling member to said lever, and a springpressed latch adapted to open the shut-off valve as the coupling member descends.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVERT, E. E. POTTER. 

